GAMBLE: Rule of Cards

CHAPTER 35

“THAT QUICK?” Denton asked the game head who was shrugging his shoulders like he was not interested in answering Denton’s questions. “I thought your resignation would take time and would be a long process. We have just talked three days ago and you are telling me that I must replace you already? I don’t even know what I am going to do as the game head… and I even have a company to lead.”

The spokesperson snapped his fingers. “At least, your interest in leading the game has improved a lot better,” he said. Denton had his brows furrowed, trying to process what the spokesperson was trying to say. “Three days ago, you were fuming mad and cannot even talk about the proposal and here you are, putting yourself in the scenario that you hate the most.” Denton nodded before he rolled his eyes. “What you heard was right. My boss already got his resignation letter signed by the government and has officially taken off the position, since he stated in his letter that he will be replaced by a game winner, and that’s you.”

“Well, you said that I have no other choice but to cope up with the decision, right? Who knows what you can do whenever I reject your proposal. I still want to live and I don’t want my family in danger,” Denton explained. The housemaid entered as she placed the tea and the assorted fruits in front of the two unknown gentlemen. The housemaid was still looking scared about the two dark-looking men who just smiled at him. She immediately ran away from the two after serving them their food. “Please take the tea and eat the fruits. I don’t know what you eat for breakfast, just tell me what you want. I guess this would be a long talk.”

“It’s okay, my boss likes eating strawberries and grapes as breakfast. He is a healthy guy,” the shorter one muttered. The resigned game head helped himself in getting the fruit and munching it with his teeth. He smiled as a sign of liking the fruit. He even grabbed the whole plate of fruits and claimed the whole serving as his own. “So, yeah… should we start in assessing you what you should do as the next game head?” Denton nodded as a response. “So, firstly…”

The spokesperson was interrupted when a woman came into the scenario. “Denton, it’s early in the morning and I can already hear your voice and Imelda’s scream minutes ago, what is happening?” She was scratching her own eyes. She was then followed by a guy who was also looking fresh from the sleep. After scratching her eyes, she opened it and was surprised to see two guys sitting on the sofa. “Who are they?”

“We are pleased to meet you again, Players J-03 and C-11,” the spokesperson muttered. Both Paul and Sandra stopped in their motion as shivers went down to their spine. It was the exact voice that announced something inside the monitor inside the game arena. The game head smiled at them, which made them tremble more in fear. “I guess that you already know who I am after I called your code names…” Denton looked at the spokesperson and he was really cautious about the two. The spokesperson smiled. “You do not have to worry about us. We already know you two and the other one. We are glad to know that all of Denton’s teammates were safe and alive. However, we won’t forget how the lost guard guided you outside of the game arena. Also, we just got resigned and we are already in no authority to decide what to do to you. Perhaps, that is a game, and the best way to win that is to find an escape plan and to survive, which was exactly what you did.”

“By any chance, have you ever found out who the lost guard is?” Denton asked. The game head raised his brows. “I mean, that was a hot topic in our batch. The players, everyone, knows about that. I mean, we live under the same roof, the gossip circulates inside.”

“Why? Do you know him?” the game head asked Denton. The latter was surprised to hear that from the former and decided to just avoid gazes. “Unfortunately, the lost guard was not found. Actually, the lost guard did no harm inside the game, but that was totally unexpected. All the blame went to me, which was really a big bother. After I leave my position, it’s for you if you want to find him or just let him. All the decisions will totally be yours. However, all errors and the trouble will be blamed on you. Beware of that, I will be telling this to you only.”

“Uh-uh,” Denton’s remarks. He invited both Paul and Sandra to sit beside him. Both Sandra and Paul were conscious about the two gentlemen on the sofa but still did what Denton told them to do. “Just so you know, the guy here, who was once the game head, has already resigned from his position and placed my name as his replacement in the letter. Genius hack, right? Now, I do not have any choice left but to abide by the rule. It hasn’t been official yet but yeah, I will be leading the next game which is for this year.”

Sandra’s brows furrowed. “But you have your own company too. What will happen to that company?” she asked. “The company depends on you, and if it weren’t you, who would be leading the company?”

“I have already thought about that, Sandra,” Denton replied. The game head was just sipping his hot cup of tea while listening to all of them chatter about their life. It must be his interest, listening to people talking about their own things. “For now, I do not have anything but Dennis. He is a smart man. Plus, he has grown up. He has guided me to making a successful company. Moreover, I listen to his advice a lot since he thinks he knows life better than me.” Paul and Sandra raised their brows, acting like they aren’t sure about Dennis. “Do not worry, you two. Once I start my position as a game head, I will be giving you a position under my administration.” He looked at the spokesperson who was smiling all the time. “Once I am officially the game head, I can decide who I will give a position to, right?”

The spokesperson nodded in response. “For as long as it is under your administration and you know they are capable, it is possible,” he answered. “You will be acting like a president of a country, Mr. Mayfly. You decide who will work for you. Just be sure that they are capable enough of running a position, because once they make an error, the blame will be put into you.”

Denton nodded. “I know them both well. Although we just knew each other inside the game, we have already built an excellent connection and trust with each other. Now that they are living under the roof of my house, I know that they are capable, since I can already see it from what they do here,” he replied. “Since we are already discussing the details of what I should do, shouldn’t you start by assessing me about what I will get into? I have no idea about this job.”

The two gentlemen stood up and prepared themselves for departure. “We are going out already, Mr. Mayfly,” the spokesperson muttered. Denton was about to complain about his question not getting the answer it deserved but he was cut when the spokesperson continued his talk. “We will be calling you for the next session, which is the assessment. For better assessment, we will be going to the place where the game will happen. We will be giving you ideas on what happens, what is, and what you should do there. Thank you for the tea and the fruits. Again, we apologize for our sudden entrance. We will be meeting you soon.”

Denton showed them the way out and opened the gate for them. “Thank you. I am sorry for all the casualties that my maid did to you. She was just surprised and terrified at the same time,” he said. The two men bowed their heads in front of Denton. “I will be waiting for your call. Call me whenever you need something.”

They left, unspoken. Denton was left with Sandra and Paul on his back. “They can hear us wherever we go, right?” Sandra said, anxiously. “I really can’t say a word about them, since I know they are listening to us at the moment. The two guys, however, are really scary. Their aura is just different. How can you keep calm while talking to them?”

Denton shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t even know how I can do that,” Denton replied. “Maybe because I was already used to talking to them. They are just odd and weird, but I don’t think they’ll cause harm to any of us here.” He tapped Sandra’s back, easing the anxiety in her. “Don’t worry, that is just normal. The first time I saw them, I almost trembled in fear. I think I almost peed on my pants too.”